Beyond the wall of sleep
Category: Religion and Philosophy

Veil of Maya

"The unexamined life is not worth living." –Socrates

Can one begin to suggest that all the world is all but an illusion?   We have our five senses and the mind to be conscious or aware of the world. So one could say, without these senses and the "mind"....there is nothing, the world is simply a back image.

This world exists for us only when the senses and mind are directed towards it, and cease to exist for us the moment we silence the senses and mind. During deep sleep we do not experience the world because the senses are not active. Could you prove the reality of the world while you are deeply asleep? When you wake up from sleep other people may tell you that the world existed, but again can you prove that these people existed while you were asleep?

After waking up we may invent all kinds of theories to prove the realty of the world. Yet, these are only mental theories. During sleep it was non-existent for us. The world disappeared together with time. Furthermore, each person interprets and relates to other people, words and attitudes in a different way, according to the contents of his subconscious mind. No one's world is like another. Again, we see illusion at work. A world is created, based on our interpretation of what we see hear and sense
..

These are some of the random thoughts drifting in my thought space, but this isn't something out of the ordinary. Time and time again we have various theories about who or what is this "self" and what is this "space" it inhabits. We argue back forth that there is nothing to life except life, or maybe it's all a grand hallucination.
What does all this mean, maybe then, we, and everything in it are simply a hologram, composed of light and nothing more. Knowing that fully would make life, a little less spectacular.  All of our senses, our brain, nerves, are out to trick us that there is a really something there, where there is none.  If that is our design, then it must be for our benefit. Form follows function, right?

10:05 PM - 0 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

lucky 11s
Current mood: weird

Alright, this is going to be a strange one. 

11:11

Its been going on for quite awhile, everywhere I go I see the number 11, on the clock on my tv, room numbers, ticket stubs etc...

why?

1
2
3

So for the most part according to these and many other websites. when you see recourring numbers...say....11s....everywhere you are on the "right" path in your life.

or

maybe on the right path to the looney bin....

I like to think that maybe there is some order to this chaos....even if its all in your head, still, Ive been met with too many indstances of synchronicity or for me to discount it as pure whimsy.

well I'm off to perform the various turkey day activites....

1:11 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Switch Steath Wild Guitar review
Current mood: amused

Warning ..Gear Head talk ahead...dizzyness can occur

Switch Guitars

At Musician's Friend

One day for no reason I wanted to try out these guitars made of some.....material .....Vibracell....well its not wood.

Its quite cheap compared to every other guitar I ever owned, It would make a good knock around guitar, something as a back up....So enter the
Switch Stealth Wild

Boy was I surprised....

I really don't know why there isnt more about these giutars on the web.  They are very well built, sounds very good unplugged, supposedly resistiant to weather changes, and .....well priced.

It's really a good deal....

If you're a Beginner guitarist, I highly recommend checking these out.

In terms of sound:

Its  got  a very warm character, it has a very nice mellowed worn-in tone.  It snappy when you want in to be, and singing every other time.  The sustain is quite excellent.
This is a Quaility Super Strat.

the Neck is very nice, not thin, but not Too fat, the radius is quite flat too, 16 I think.

Let me say this Again Quailty....no 200 Us dollar guitar I know of has Gover Tuning machines, usually a high end feature.

The scale length is short on this guitar: 24.75  which I think is a great match with the Synthetic one piece construction, also very easy to play.

In the past I have played other expensive Synthetic guitars with 25.5 inch scale, they require alot of fine tuning with amps and gear to remove the Brittleness, and thinness from the tone. ( ie changing Pickups for weaker outputs, Potenimeter change....etc etc blah blah)

this one is very warm and bubbly right out of the box.

Simlar to this guitar is:

Vigier Guitars
Shawn Lane Vigier Model
also a short scale strat style, but with a tremolo bar and Dimarzo Pickups


This guitar is really.....Awesome!
Grab it while they are still in business

8:07 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

no.....way a Blog post!
Current mood: weird
Category: Art and Photography

I uploaded some older drawing, sketches, scribbles, what have you......warts and all.......

IN other news Teaching at Kings Music is Going well, students generally appear to be doing their homeworks, their practice routines.  Although some seem to have the ablitity to slip into a coma whenever the subject....of daily Practice for x amount of time, everyday blah blah blah Major scale...blah blah Transpose..blah blah blah Listen..blah blah blah Diatonic Chromatic passing notes.blah blah.......remember  There's always room for guitar after SpongeBob Square Pants Kids.

I got a new Scott French guitar too....you can see the link to Scott's MySpace on my top elevenitybillion friends list.  Scott is a great guy to deal with, he has great taste.  the Guitar is a work of art, as I keep saying. Most Excellent, Im proud to be able to play it everyday. more laters.......

Good Day Internet Peoples...

1:32 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Good riddance 2006 Hello 2007

So here we are again, start of a new years, fresh, and new.  Time to make those lengthy resolutions.

I for one am glad to be over with 2006, a mixed year for me, not much in the way of good, too much in the realm of "blah", "not again" "and "where's my spatula"

.....

in other more......interesting news....to a select few, i might imagine, I put up a new drawing of alucard form the the Hellsing Manga series.  We love vampires. And why has the production of creative art material stopped,  oh you can blame school work school work, etc etc....every holiday break i get away with my pens and paper....

May you have a have happiest of new years.....

8:30 PM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Guitar Gear Reviews Part Zwei
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Music

Okay Now that you all had a chance to digest the previous Review, Ill throw another bite size one, Just because Im such a nice guy. Or because I cant think Of what to do.....

GT "623" Saddles...A telecaster 3 barrel  designed to fit into  modern 6 string saddle set up.  Kinda of a Odd choice, But I like it. And for those of you who don't know what a Saddle is, It where the guitar String sits on the guitar bridge, Those litte pieces of metal, that transmit string vibaration to the body of the guitar.

What If the bridge Saddles where Bigger, and  Tighter against the bridge and body, then the connection between the Bridge, the Body would be  Clearer, tighter tone.


When I first Installed them I could definiatly hear the difference, and I really wasnt expecting to be much of any difference, other than look. but now there is a real difference to the 6 saddle design. 





Okay.....

Planet Waves Shielded Stereo Jack this is what happens when I get  bored and have a few buck in my wallet. 
Better Pic of it


Keeley Katana Pre-Amp

Now You're Probably thinking "this guy has everything guitar-wise to a science he should get out more...DRAW more Pictures!"

If there's One thing Im not is Im not a Crazy guitar Pedal guy, With me its just the Guitar + Cable + Amp = Thats It.

This is the Only Pedal I have that I do care for, its a Booster, a mini Preamp,  That "Goes Up to 11 dail" Pedal . It doesnt Color my Tone, It doesnt do anything. It just makes the tone you have LOUDER

With certain Amps, Especially Tube amp, this is the kinda of thing that Pushes your Tubes into Screaming Bloody Murder Overdrive.

Very Useable for Clean and Overdrive settings, I should use it more often Though!

and yes Guilty Gear is a great Game too!

More to add...

4:16 AM - 5 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

feeling abit Sketchy ...26
Current mood: artistic
Category: Art and Photography

As some of you noticed I uploading quite a few new drawings, many of them are anime or video game related. 

Many of the pictures you see are old, and would like to do a newer version of them. Hopefully soon, need to wait for those mircon pens to arrive, the last drawing killed my last pen.

the newest ones being the Vampire Hunter D, and Asuka were done this week. Auska was harder then I thought ^_^;; But I feel  it was worth the effort, I really like the textural, organic, look of the suit.  Makes it alittle different from other "Shiny Asuka" pictures...

Oh well still sleepy.....

Thanks for the comments guys...

09 26
And I got my Pens...and drew Alucard today....its likely a work in progress

Cheerio

8:07 AM - 3 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Numbers, Birthstones, Moonbeams....oh no....
Current mood: weird
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

I always get a kick out of these things, Does it matter If it really matters, Is it a proven science here, Because I'm an 11 that means I can cut lines and, not pay parking meters....um No..

No just adds a hint of that "something" extra to your otherwise standard issue day. Sort of like adding a hint of lemon or orange peel to your cup of Yerba mate...

So i'm a ..11 Piscean/Dog/wolf, who loves rock and roll, with Plantains on the side, smuthered in esoteric, hold the exoteric

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Birthday Mojo

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15 March 1982

Your date of conception was on or about 22 June 1981 which was a Monday.

You were born on a Monday
under the astrological sign Pisces.

Your Life path number is 11

The 11 is the most intuitive of all numbers. It represents illumination; a channel to the subconscious; insight without rational thought; and sensitivity, nervous energy, shyness, and impracticality. It is a dreamer. The 11 has all the aspects of the 2, enhanced and charged with charisma, leadership, and inspiration. It is a number with inborn duality, which creates dynamism, inner conflict, and other catalyses with its mere presence. It is a number that, when not focused on some goal beyond itself, can be turned inward to create fears and phobias. The 11 walks the edge between greatness and self-destruction. Its potential for growth, stability, and personal power lies in its acceptance of intuitive understanding, and of spiritual truths. For the 11, such peace is not found so much in logic, but in faith. It is the psychic's number..



Life Path Compatibility:
You are most compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 2, 4, 8, 11 & 22.
You should get along well with those with the Life Path numbers 3 & 6.
You may or may not get along well with those with the Life Path number 9.
You are least compatible with those with the Life Path numbers 1, 5 & 7.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2445043.5.
The golden number for 1982 is 7.
The epact number for 1982 is 5.
The year 1982 was not a leap year.

Your birthday falls into the Chinese year beginning 1/25/1982 and ending 2/12/1983.
You were born in the Chinese year of the Dog.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Wolf; your plant is Plantain.

You were born in the Egyptian month of Pachons, the first month of the season of Shomu (Harvest).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 21 AdarI 5742.

The date of Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 11 April 1982.
The date of Orthodox Easter on your birth year was Sunday, 18 April 1982.
The date of Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent) on your birth year was Wednesday 24 February 1982.
The date of Whitsun (Pentecost Sunday) in the year of your birth was Sunday 30 May 1982.
The date of Whisuntide in the year of your birth was Sunday 6 June 1982.
The date of Rosh Hashanah in the year of your birth was Saturday, 18 September 1982.
The date of Passover in the year of your birth was Thursday, 8 April 1982.
The date of Mardi Gras on your birth year was Tuesday 23 February 1982.

As of 9/6/2006 7:46:08 PM EDT
You are 24 years old.
You are 294 months old.
You are 1,277 weeks old.
You are 8,941 days old.
You are 214,603 hours old.
You are 12,876,226 minutes old.
You are 772,573,568 seconds old.

Celebrities who share your birthday:

Caitlin Wachs (1989)
Sean Biggerstaff (1983)
Joe Hahn (1977)
Eva Longoria (1975)
Mark Hoppus (1972)
Fabio (1961)
Sly Stone (1944)
Phil Lesh (1940)
Judd Hirsch (1935)
Harry James (1916)
Macdonald Carey (1913)
Samuel 'Lightnin'' Hopkins (1912)
Andrew Jackson (1767)

Top songs of 1982

I Love Rock `n' Roll by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts

Eye of the Tiger by Survivor

Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder

Centerfold by J. Geils Band

Maneater by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Jack & Diane by John Cougar

Don't You Want Me by Human League

Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes

Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band

Hard to Say I'm Sorry by Chicago

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 3.49941291585127 years old. (Life's just a big chewy bone for you!)

There are 190 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 25 candles.

Those 25 candles produce 25 BTUs,
or 6,300 calories of heat (that's only 6.3000 food Calories!) .
You can boil 2.86 US ounces of water with that many candles.

In 1982 there were approximately 3.6 million births in the US.
In 1982 the US population was approximately 226,545,805 people, 64.0 persons per square mile.
In 1982 in the US there were 2,495,000 marriages (10.8and 1,180,000 divorces (5.1br>In 1982 in the US there were approximately 1,990,000 deaths (8.8 per 1000)
In the US a new person is born approximately every 8 seconds.
In the US one person dies approximately every 12 seconds.

In 1982 the population of Australia was approximately 15,288,891.
In 1982 there were approximately 239,903 births in Australia.
In 1982 in Australia there were approximately 117,274 marriages and 44,088 divorces.
In 1982 in Australia there were approximately 114,771 deaths.


Your birthstone is Aquamarine

The Mystical properties of Aquamarine

Aquamarine is often used to experience love and mercy. It is said to help ease depression and grief.

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone.

Jade, Rock Crystal, Bloodstone



There are 110 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 123 days till Orthodox Christmas!

The moon's phase on the day you were
born was waning gibbous.


------

Namely numbers




You entered: Alexander Schlessingerman

There are 24 letters in your name.
Those 24 letters total to 106
There are 8 vowels and 16 consonants in your name.

Your number is: 7

The characteristics of ..7 are: Analysis, understanding, knowledge, awareness, studious, meditating.

The expression or destiny for ..7:
Thought, analysis, introspection, and seclusiveness are all characteristics of the expression number 7. The hallmark of the number 7 is a good mind, and especially good at searching out and finding the truth. You are so very capable of analyzing, judging and discriminating, that very little ever escapes your observation and deep understanding. You are the type of person that can really get involved in a search for wisdom or hidden truths, often becoming an authority on whatever it is your are focusing on. This can easily be of a technical or scientific nature, or it may be religious or occult, it matters very little, you pursue knowledge with the same sort of vigor. You can make a very fine teacher, or because of a natural inclination toward the spiritual, you may become deeply emerged in religious affairs or even psychic explorations. You tend to operate on a rather different wavelength, and many of your friends may not really know you very well. The positive aspects of the 7 expression are that you can be a true perfectionist in a very positive sense of the word. You are very logical, and usually employ a quite rational approach to most things you do. You can be so rational at times that you almost seem to lack emotion, and when you are faced with an emotional situation, you may have a bit of a problem coping with it. You have excellent capabilities to study and learn really deep and difficult subjects, and to search for hidden fundamentals. At full maturity you are likely to be a very peaceful and poised individual.

If there is an over supply of the number 7 in your makeup, the negative aspects of the number may be apparent. The chief negative of 7 relates to the limited degree of trust that you may have in people. A tendency to be highly introverted can make you a bit on the self-centered side, certainly very much self-contained . Because of this, you are not very adaptable, and you may tend to be overly critical and intolerant. You really like to work alone, at your own pace and in your own way. You neither show or understand emotions very well.

Your Soul Urge number is: 5

A Soul Urge number of 5 means:
The 5 soul urge or motivation would like to follow a life of freedom, excitement, adventure and unexpected happening. The idea of travel and freedom to roam intrigues you. You are very much the adventurer at heart. Not particularly concerned about your future or about getting ahead, you can seem superficial and unmotivated.

In a positive sense, the energies of the number 5 make you very adaptable and versatile. You have a natural resourcefulness and enthusiasm that may mark you as a progressive with a good mind and active imagination. You seem to have a natural inclination to be a pace-setter. You are attracted to the unusual and the fast paced.

You may be overly restless and impatient at times. You may dislike the routine work that you are engaged in, and tend to jump from activity to activity, without ever finishing anything. You may have difficulty with responsibility. You don't want to be tied down to a relationship, and it may be hard to commit to one person.

Your Inner Dream number is: 11

An Inner Dream number of 11 means:
You dream of casting the light of illumination; of being the true idealist. You secretly believe there is more to life than we can know or prove, and you would like to be provider of the 'word' from on high.

6:04 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

More Gear Reviews Update 8/30+
Current mood: artistic

Well I think It would be about Time I said what I think of Some of the Guitar Gear I used...No fancy headline here kiddes...spelling errors likely



2002 Carvin HF2 - This is a Gem of a Guitar for the money, You pick from a whole mess of options, and always end up with something pretty damn good. The fully Hollow Body Construction Of this guitar gives the Player a more sensitive, room filling sound. Works great clean and medium Overdriven. But It has Flaws, you should replace the Pots, nut, bridge, and Pickups to Really open this thing Up.. I guess Carvin had to cut corners somwhere.

2001 Carvin guitars H2 - The smaller brother Of the "Fatboy". Often Lighter weight too, A great Pick if you what a all around Guitar. Can be Better suited for the Heavier Overdrives and Distorted sounds. Flaws see HF2 (SOLD)



2000 US Master Guitars Ep - I just had To get a guitar No One around Here heard Of, and this trend will continue well ahead. However These are Very Well made, and a Good Player. US Master's has alot of Innovation crammed into such a small form fitting package. The Neck Joint Is Something That Should be way more known. The Ep Series Guitar I got Sported a Maohgany body, birdseye Maple neck and Fingerboard. And Custom Pickups Much like a Seymour Duncan 59 set.....And a Floyd Rose....This would be the last Guitar I would own with that Blasted Do-hicky. Thats the reason I sold It....But They make a good Guitar.  An alternative to Erine Ball Music man Guitars (SOLD)



Samick Paul Reed Smith Copy - Nice guitar for the Price. Smacks really well Too. (Currently a Door Stop)

2006 Soloway Guitars LN6 *F107- Nothing Standard here. Extra Long Scale Length 27 inch. Super Light Chambered Swamp Ash Body, Topped with a Oregon Myrtlewood Top. Wide flat neck, Straight pull tuners. Alone these Features Create a Guitar with a Very Strong Acoustic Voice, and a Extended Bandwith of highs and very tight Lows. The Lower end has, as expected,  much definition and snap, almost like a short scale bass guitar. 

Manlius Guitar Pickups "Landmark Alinico 2" - Nice pickups, with that Alnico 2 flavor. sweet Compressed Highs and mellow lows. Great for Dirty  Blues, and Classic Rock.


Lollar Pickups "Imperial Humbucker" - These got the Mojo and they got Class, Really Deep Shining Clean tones and Smooth Over Driven Tones. Think of these like the refernece pickup of what a PAF style pickup should sound like.

Q-Tuner"GL" - Forget the Mojo and all that nonsense, with these Pickups Its You , Your Head, Your Hand , YOU. The Tone It Produces Is Unlike Anything Out there. Very Sensitive and Ultra Piano Clean. And yet the Overdriven tone it has, Is Unreal.

The Most noticeable thing with this pickup is how the Fundamental tone sent thru your amp, and then the Sparkling overtones come behind it. Single notes are tremendous. In some other pickups you hear everything coming at you at once, so you get the Muddy, undefined, glitchly sound. 

RS Guitarworks Great Stuff, Their Super Potentimeter Is the Sh*T! Won't make you a guitar god. But Your Volume control Will Work a hell Of a alot better. (A more guitar Friendly Taper)  Also Fast Shipping.

Alessandro High End Nice Stuff, They also got some Custom made Guitar Potentimeters.  Really Nice, Really Solid and Expensive. 

Creation Audio Labs - REDEEMER - It's a Active device that goes inside your guitar. Its like a Supercharger for your Guitar. It doesn't Just raise the gain rather It Buffers your signal from the Guitar through the amp.  Notes Leap from your fingerboard. Your Tone and Volume controls become very useable from 10 to 1. Just an Amazing Product. 

You can use this in Bass, Acoustic guitar with electronics

Those things You play with...The Strings...

Fender 150s - (.009-.042/.010-.046) One day I had a hankering, I wanted the worst feeling strings there were, and thank you Fender You deliver. In spades, Rough feeling, stiff like a corpse, and sound like rusted nails...whatever that supposed to be.  I swear these were made from sandpaper and barbed wire.  And dont worry I tried 3 sets, I made sure they suck.  Avoid like bad shellfish.

Curt Mangan - (.009-.042/.010-.046) If you feel like you wanna treat yourself right, feel quaility, hear this.  Find these strings.  Really Nice note separation, Excellent tension, and long life, what more could you want?  There Is a difference in tone with these, much richer and smoother than say Dadarios or ErineBalls (they arent bad strings ethier).  Great if you play with no effects, and just crack that loud amp.  The only issue I have is when I use them in my Long Scaled Soloway, there's some inotation issues particularly with the A string.  But Inotates Great on every other Guitar.

Yamaha DG80 Guitar Amp- Whats this A digital Amp?! and A OLD one to boot.  Behold the Yamaha DG80, As used By Allan Holdsworth, Richie Kotzen, and Ty Tabor and countless others. Why? Because It sounds Good.  It has a great Feel of the notes, and Pretty damn oraganic tones. None of that Stomp Boxy type sounds, just great tones.  Different guitar different tone.  Best of all is it versitility. Ebay for one

Tonestyler I tried this little control until back in January.  I was impressed.  here it is Quick and Dirty...

Pros- Ability to Isolate and Taper off Only treble frequencies, and Maintain Midrange fully. Great for People who just wanna set it....and forget it.

Cons- If you found your voice using the right Caps, Resistors, Pots, It might not be too useable.  Or if you like to fool around with Too many knobs.

5:24 AM - 5 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Behold ...Kings Music...a true story
Current mood: devious

its Howie about to be mauled by a Esteban Guitar.....

..>

7:29 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment